Job: Economist

Location: Washington 
Deadline: Wednesday, 30 October 2013 

Description

Background / General description:

The World Bank Group's Investment Climate Department (CIC) assists governments of developing countries and transition economies in reforming their business environments at economy-wide as well as industry/sector level. The department collaborates extensively with other teams across the World Bank Group in the design and delivery of advisory services and other operational work related to investment climate reform, and develops IC knowledge products for staff and clients.

Serving as the global backbone of the Bank Group's investment climate (IC) activities; CIC:

(i) anchors the Investment Climate Business Line (one of IFC's four Advisory Services Business Lines), and handles the global dimension of its work;

(ii) anchors the Investment Climate Global Practice of the Bank's Financial and Private Sector Development Network;

(iii) implements MIGA's technical assistance mandate, and

(iv) manages the multi-donor Facility for Investment Climate Advisory Services, a global funding and partnership platform for IC reform. In addition, CIC also manages the following programs for IFC:

(v) the Health in Africa initiative (in collaboration with AFTHD),

(vi) the Water Resources Group (in collaboration with SDN and other WBG units),

(vii) a new program on private participation in infrastructure (in collaboration with C3P and other WBG units),

(vii) and the coordination function for IFC's work on fragile and conflict-affected countries (jointly with CTGDR, and in collaboration with OPSFN and MIGEP).

CIC is organized into four main units, reflecting four global service or product lines: Business Regulation, International Trade and Investment, Investment Climate for Industry (CICIN), and Private Participation in Infrastructure and Social Sectors, as well as a unit dedicated to Africa (CIC is co-managing IFC's IC work program in Sub-Saharan Africa), an Operational Support unit, and a unit supporting FPD's Global IC Practice.

Note:

If the selected candidate is a current Bank Group staff member with a Regular or Open-Ended appointment, s/he will retain his/her Regular or Open-Ended appointment. All others will be offered a 2 year term appointment.

Duties and Accountabilities:

A highly motivated Economist is invited to join the CIC impact/M&E team. (S)he will report directly to the manager in charge of the impact/M&E work program, and will provide overall operational support and research assistance to the Impact Program leader, among other duties.

His/her responsibilities will include, but not be limited, to the following:

• Provide inputs and be the focal point of impact evaluations:
  Liaise on a regular basis with main researcher and regional team to ensure a seamless implementation of the impact evaluation. Provide analytical inputs and research assistance in the preparation of data collection plans and data analyses.
  Review and provide feedback on methods and analyses to ensure that impact evaluations in the program are up to the highest quality standards.
• Provide analytical inputs and support the development of key impact indicators for the Investment Climate Results Framework and assist in the development of their target setting methodologies.
• Provide general support to the Impact Program implementation, including the production of program reports, results stories, presentations, and inputs for donor reporting.
• Organize Brown Bag Lunches (BBLs) under the Impact Program BBL series to share and scrutinize the very recent research findings on the effects of investment climate reforms on firm formalization, growth, investment generation, trade flows, compliance with regulations and many more.
• Serve as the impact internal and external website content administrator and as the website's main contact point on behalf of the impact project team.

Selection Criteria:

• Master's degree in Economics, Public Policy, or related disciplines and a minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 3 years of work experience in applied research including impact evaluation.
• Experience in results measurement methodologies applied to private sector interventions. This should include familiarity with designing results frameworks, defining M&E indicators, and evaluating development results, including experience in practical implementation of experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations.
• Demonstrated experience in delivering training on evaluation methods and results.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills, including training in econometrics, statistics, and microeconomic theory.
• Knowledge and experience on private sector development, especially related to business environment issues and regulatory economics.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to perform multiple tasks in a fast-moving environment and meet tight deadlines.
• Enthusiasm and commitment to development work, positive attitude and persistence in obtaining results.
• Proven ability to work in teams as team member, in a multi-cultural environment with minimal supervision.
• Fluency in English. Knowledge of Spanish and/or French a plus.

Other Competencies:

• Demonstrates broad knowledge of project management tools & methodologies; identifies key risks and mitigation measures; interprets background analysis and proposed solutions
• Builds self-awareness and takes initiative.
• Takes personal ownership and accountability to meet deadlines and achieve agreed-upon results, and has the personal organization to do so.
• Collaborates with other team members and contributes productively to the team's work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view.
• Actively seeks knowledge needed to complete assignments and shares knowledge with others, communicating and presenting information in a clear and organized manner.
• Analyzes facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others' work.

More Info and Application